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Summer Seed Sowing

BROCCOLI/CALABRESE Sow our quick headingbroccoli outdoors in midsummer for autumn harvest, or as long as the winter is not too severe, it can be sown in late August or September in an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel, to give you a very early crop at the start of the following year.

BROCCOLI RAAB OR 'RAPINI'Broccoli Raab is related to turnip - but is grown like broccoli & produces delicious sprouts like a slightly spicy flavoured sprouting broccoli. Thinnings are also excellent in salads or stirfries. Sow mid to late summer for harvest just 40 days later - so great in late summer & autumn when ordinary broccoli isn't available.

CABBAGES Sow ‘Precoce de Louviers’ Spring Cabbage in late August or September, and you'll get nice fresh cabbage very early the following spring.

CARROTS Carry on sowing carrots in July and August to pull as tender carrots in autumn. We recommend 'Giant Red' Dark Orange Carrot as the best for summer sowing. The vigour and flavour of this Italian variety are terrific.

CHARDS & GREENS Sow leaf beet and chard up until end July for a seemingly endless supply of greens in autumn and into next spring.

Also try ‘Rapa Senza Testa’ Turnip Greens for an excellect quick growing green vegetable. Ready about 4 weeks from sowing, it makes mild green leaves that have a wonderfully buttery flavour when cooked, and are also nice and mild if used raw in salads.

SUMMER HERBS Successional sow Coriander until the end of July for a continual supply of fresh leaves. Parsley can also be sown up to midsummer and will stand through intot he winter with a bit of protection.

PEAS Sow round seeded varieties in September and October for an extra-early crop in spring, or from January onwards. Try Hatif d'Annonay as a dwarf variety, or Amelioree d'Auvergne if you prefer a climbing pea.

TURNIPS Sow turnips from mid June through to end July for pulling through the autumn and into the winter for all those lovely winter stews. Or cook them as my mum does, braised in the oven and served with a roast leg of lamb - delicious!